Support



3 7, 19 8. J. F. KORTAN 2,445,749

SUPPORT Filed Feb. 6, 1946.

Patented July 27, 1948 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE SUPPORT Joseph F. Kortan, Cleveland, Ohio Application February 6, 1946, Serial No. 645,760

2 Claims.

'My invention relates to supports and more particularly to a collapsible and nontiltable support for Christmas trees.

In supporting Christmas trees, it has heretofore been the practice to provide a base board upon which the tree rests and to support the tree upon the base board by means of braces which are nailed to the tree and base board. Such supports, however, are usually damaged in dismantling the tree after the Christmas season and it is therefore necessary to fabricate a new one during each Christmas season. The construction of such supports also entails considerable labor and they are usually unsatisfactory unless erected by eaperienced workmen.

'Metallic supports having threaded openings to receive bolts or studs which engage the lower portion of the tree have also been provided. The threaded bolts or studs in such supports, however, are usually small and do not engage the tree over a suflicient area to maintain it in a vertical, nontiltable position.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved support for Christmas trees upon which a tree may be mounted by women or by inexperienced workmen and which is capable of maintaining the tree in a vertical position and supporting it against tilting movement.

.Another object of my invention is to provide an improved support for Christmas trees that may be used during the Christmas season and which is collapsible to enable it to be stored in a comparatively small space after the Christmas season.

A further object of my invention is to provide an improved support for Christmas trees, posts, or the like, including at least two pairs of braces,

one pair 'of which engages the tree at a higher my improved support with the braces arranged in a vertical position;

Fig. 3 is a view. similar to Fig. 2 but on a smaller scale, showing a portion of the tree with the braces in place;- I e Fig. 4 is a View similar to Fig. 1 but on an enlarged scale, showing a portion of the tree with the braces in place;

Fig. 5 is an elevational view of the support in a partially collapsed position;

Fig. 6 is an elevational view of the support in its fully collapsed position; and

Fig. 7 is a plan view of a modified form of support.

While my improved support may be made of any desired size and constructed of any suitable material, such as metal, plastic, or Wood, and may be collapsible or partially collapsible, as illustrated in the drawings, it comprises a central block or portion I to which a plurality of arms 2, 3, 4, and 5 are pivotally secured in any desired manner. As illustrated, hinges 6, I, 8 and 9 are provided for this purpose, one leaf of each of which hinges is secured to the lower surface of the central block and the other leaf of each of the respective hinges being secured, respec tively, to arms 2, 3, 4 and 5.

As illustrated in the drawings, the central block I is substantially square and four arms 2, 3, 4 and 5 are provided. It will be understood, however, that the drawing is merely illustrative as the central member may be of any desired shape. For instance, the central block may be in the form of a polygon with any desired even number of sides in which case the number of arms may be correspondingly increased, or the central member may be formed integral with one or more of the arms.

The block I is provided with a central aperture II! to receive a nail or screw II which is driven or threaded into the base of the tree, as indicated in Fig 4 of the drawing. The support is then arranged in the manner shown in Fig. 2 of the drawing with the tree in place as shown in Fig. 1 and means are provided to hold the tree in a vertical position and maintain it against tilting movement. For this purpose, a plurality of braces are provided, and while the number of braces utilized will of course depend upon the number of arms and the size of the tree to be supported, as illustrated in Fig. 2, four braces l2, I3, I 4 and I5 are provided which are pivotally mounted on arms 2, 3, 4 and 5 in any suitable manner. As illustrated, hinges I6 ,I'I, I8 and It are provided which are preferably so arranged that braces I2, I 3, l4 and I5 may be folded against arms 2, 3, 4 and 5 when the support is in its collapsed state. For this purpose, one leaf of each of the hinges I6, I1, I8 and I9 is secured, respectively, to the lower innner edges of braces I2, I3, I4 and'l5 and. the other leaf of each of 3 the respective hinges is secured to arms 2, 3, 4 and 5, respectively.

The braces are preferably arranged in pairs with the braces in each pair extending toward each other, and with the braces of each pair engaging the tree at a level different than the other pair or pairs. This may be eifected in various ways. For example, assuming that arms 2, 3, 4 and 5 are of equal length, by pivoting the braces constitutingaone pair at a distance closer to the extremities of the free ends of the arms than the other, each pair of braces will engage the tree at a different level. As shown, however, arms 2, 3, l and 5 are of equal length and the braces are all hinged to the arms at the same distance from the free ends of the arms and theibraces i2 and i4 constituting one pairare longerthan braces l3 and i5 constituting the other pair.

The free ends of the braces also preferably erminate in arcuate-shaped edges as indicated by the numeral 20 so that. they will engagethe tree over a comparatively large area and will serve to maintain. it againsttiltingmovement.

One of the important advantages of my improved support is that it may be easily dismantled and stored in a smallspace. In dismantling the tree, the nail or screw H is first removed and when the braces are moved to the position shown in Fig. 2, the tree may be readily removed. The

support is then preferably inverted as shown in Fig. 5 whereupon arms 2, 3, bl and 5 may be folded toward each other and braces i2, it, i and IE will then assume a vertical position as shown in Fig. 6 in which the support is in a fully collapsed position. If desired, a cord or wire may be wrapped around the braces to maintain the support in its collapsedstate.

Various modifications of myinvention may of course be provided. For supporting small trees suitable for homes or. apartments, a support similar to that shown in Figs. 1 to 6 has proven satisfactory. For larger trees, the central-memher or block may be in the fornrof a hexagon or an octagon in which case the number. of braces may be correspondingly increased. This form of the invention is shown in Fig. 7 in which the central block 2! is in the form of a hexagon and is provided with three pairs of arms 22 and 23, 2d and 25, and '26 and 21, with the arms of each pair being in alignment with each other. The arms are hingedly mounted to the lower surface of the central member or block 2| in the manner described in connection with the support shown in Figs 1 to 6. Inthis case, threepairs of braces 28 and 29,30 and 3!, and 32 and 33, are, provided, each of which braces is preferably hingedly mounted on its respective arm at the same distance from the extremitiesof the arms. The arms constituting each pair of braces are preferably of the same length, but-are of a different length thanthe arms constituting a different pair of braces so that each pair of braces will engagethe tree at a diiferent level. The extremitiesof the free ends of the braces .which engage the tree are also preferably arcuateshaped to engage the tree over a considerable area.

While I have described my invention particularly with respect to supportsfor Christmas trees, it will be understood. that it may be utilized for other purposes, such as supporting posts formed of metal, wood, or other material. For instance, two or more of the supports may be utilized in basements in apartmentsor homes for supporting posts or standards .betweenwhich clothes lines may be suspended. Other uses and modifications of my invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art and it Will of course be understood that I contemplate by the appended claims to cover any such uses or modifications as fall within the true purpose and scope of my invention.

What I claim is:

1. A collapsible support for Christmas trees including a central block of. sufiicient size to form a support for Christmas trees of various sizes, said block having an opening and two pairs of edges with the edges of each pair being disposed opposite to each other, means extending through said opening for securing the tree to said block, at least two pairs of arms with the arms in each pair being arranged in alignment with each other and with the opposite edges of the central blockand the inner edge of one arm of each pair being pivotally secured to the lower face of said block at one of its edges and the oth-er;arm of each of said pairs being pivotally secured tolower face of said block at the opposite edge toprovide a frame which is adapted to be disposed on alevel support and in which the armsmay be collapsed toward each other when the central block-is elevated from said support, and means for .preventing tilting movement of said tree including a substantially fiat brace and a hinge havinga pair of flanges associated with each arm, one of the flanges of each hinge being secured to the upper face of the arm with which it isassociated at a position spaced inwardly from the outeredge of said arm and its other flange being secured to the inner face of one of said bracesatits outer edge so that each brace will lie substantially fiat against the arm to which it is attachedwhen the parts are in a collapsed position,.and ,eachof said braces being of suflicient length to engage said tree. said braces being arranged in pairs with the free ends of each pair extending toward each other when said braces are moved into engagement with said tree and each of .said braces having an arcuate-shaped end to engage said tree over a large circumferential area, and the braces that are hingedly mounted on each .pair of aligned arms being of the samelength but of. a length different from the braces pivotally mounted on the other pair of aligned arms so that one pair of braces will engage the tree-at a level different than the other set of braces.

2. A collapsible support for Christmas trees including a central block of suflicient size to form a support for Christmas trees of various sizes, said block having six sides forming three pairs of edges with the edges in each pair being arranged parallel to each other, three pairs of arms with the arms in each pair being arranged in alignment with each other and withthe opposite edges of the central block, the inner edge .of one arm of each pair being securedto the lower face of said block at one of its edges and the other arm of each of said pairs being pivotally secured tothe lower face of said block at the opposite parallel edge, thereby providing a frame which is adapted to rest on a level support and which maybe collapsed when the block is elevated from saidsupport, and means for preventing .tiltingmovement of said tree including a substantiallyfiat vbrace and a hinge associated With,,each-a 1m...each,of said hinges having a pair of flanges, and one of the flanges of each .hingebeingsecured to..the inner face of one of said .braces atits Outerjedge so that each brace will lie substantially filat against thearm to which it ishinged 'wheniiihe parts are in collapsed position, and each of said braces being of suflicient length to engage said tree, said braces being arranged in pairs with the free ends of the braces of each pair extending toward each other when said braces are moved into engagement with said tree and each of said braces having an arcuate-shaped end to engage said tree over a large circumferential area, and the braces which are pivotally mounted on each pair of aligned arms being of the same length but of a length different from the braces pivotally mounted on the other pairs of aligned arms so that one pair of braces will engage the tree at a level different than the other pairs of braces. JOSEPH F. KORTAN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

